John's senses slowly began to return, though he felt detached from his own body as if floating in a void for few moments before hitting solid ground. He opened his eyes but saw only fields of green grass stretching out before him.He blinked, trying to clear his thoughts when he noticed a figure sitting nearby. He as a man with hair in a strange blend of brown and green hues, looking down at him with an exasperated expression."Wake up," the man said, sounding as if he were thoroughly unimpressed with John's delay.John struggled to move, a sudden surge of fear gripping him. "Is this really the end? Did I die after all?"He could still vividly recall the fight, the beast, the darkness... Was this some kind of afterlife again?"How are you feeling?" the man asked with sour face.That voice... it sounded familiar, like the one that had echoed in his head earlier when he wakes up from the first dead. John's heart skipped a beat as he remembered."I can't believe it," the man continued, crossing his arms, "I just said goodbye to you and I'm meeting you here again. This is awkward."He gave John a dry look, as if mildly annoyed by the whole situation. "Anyway, you're in my domain now," he added. "Are you listening, or are you planning on zoning out again?"John blinked, snapping out of his daze. Gritting his teeth, he focused on the figure before him. The man looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, though something about him felt ageless and otherworldly."Sorry," John replied with a hint of irritation, "I'm a little out of sorts after almost dying!"The man sighed. "Alright, fair enough. But focus now, because I don't have much time to spend chatting with you.""Fine," John said, gathering his thoughts. "You can talk now. I will listen."The man gave a short nod. "First, you're not dead. But the ability you have... turns out it's more powerful than I thought. So I have to give you some warning."That vision you used, where you saw movements seconds ahead? It's only the beginning. It can evolve further."John's exhaustion momentarily faded as a flicker of hope rose within him. "It can evolve?"The man raised an eyebrow. "Yes. It's connected to your eyes, though, so expect some discomfort when you overuse it. Pain is your body's way of telling you to slow down.""Wait, you mean I can improve this power?" John asked, a newfound eagerness in his voice. "How?"The man's expression softened slightly, and he nodded. "It's all about proficiency. You noticed the number next to your abbility name, didn't you?"John nodded, recalling the level indicator he'd seen earlier."Good. You'll increase it through practice, but be careful; you don't want to risk damaging yourself. You can also progress through learning. It's about understanding, adapting. This world's 'rules' will help you along the way."The man's gaze turned distant for a moment before he looked back at John with a wry smile. "That's all I'm going to tell you for now. Spoiling the fun would not be good, for you and I."John sensed he wouldn't get much more from him so he just nodded, bracing himself to return to the world.John's vision flared with light, blinding him momentarily as he felt himself floating once more in the void. Then, suddenly he was falling and dropping through empty air until his body landed hard on the ground. This time though, he felt solid earth beneath him, damp and rough, and the stale air around him was unmistakable. He was back in the cave.A warm, wet sensation brushed across his face, jolting him awake with a start. He flinched and scrambling backward, only to see the massive black hound standing on its haunches beside him.But this time, there was no threat in the creature's gaze, no snarl or bared teeth. Its mouth stretched into what looked like an almost-smile, and its eyes held a calm, steady look that was almost... friendly."Wha—" John stammered, too shocked to finish. Then he remembered. He'd tamed the beast, hadn't he? Just before passing out."Is this... are you my friend now?" he muttered, half to himself.The hound's ears perked up as if it understood, and it gave him a gentle nudge with its nose. John stared in disbelief, then a slow disbelieving smile spread across his face. The terrifying creature that had nearly killed him was now his companion. It feels weird but also relieving cause at least for now he was in no immediate death.Dumbfounded but overjoyed, he patted the hound's side, feeling its warm fur beneath his fingers."Can you talk?" John asked hesitantly, a hopeful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Usually, in the stories I read, fantastical beasts like you can talk."He watched for a reaction, noticing how the hound's ears drooped slightly, its dark eyes looking away as it released a low, almost mournful sound."Oh..." John murmured, a pang of regret hitting him. He realized he might have made the creature feel sad — maybe it wanted to speak but couldn't. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, trying to fix the moment."Sorry about that. It's not a problem, really. An even if we were trying to kill each other earlier, we're friends now, right? That's the most important thing for now."The hound lifted its gaze and gave him a nod, and the tension eased. John let out a relieved laugh, already feeling a bond growing with his unlikely companion. This is strangely quick."Actually..." he added, glancing up at the towering form of the creature. "Do you think you could, uh, shrink down a bit? Just looking up at you like this is giving me a crick in my neck."The hound seemed to understand, and in a blink, its massive frame shifted and shrinking down until it resembled a normal-sized husky, though its fur was still jet-black.John grinned, leaning down to scratch behind the hound's ears. "Perfect."But then, his head shot up. He'd heard something faint but unmistakable echoing through the cave — human voices and steps. John exchanged a quick look with his new companion.He didn't know it the people will be hostile or friendly but he need to be prepared.Then from the other tunnel of the cave, he can see a pretty face looking at him with frown. Then she look at the black hound near his feet."An adventurer?! I thought this Dungeon is empty," the woman said.Then from behind her, two other appeared.---